INTERVIEW: As Ministers of God there's nothing you need in the ministry that can't be found in the Scripture- Sanngo DCC Superintendent

Pastor J.B. Agunbiade

Pastor J.B. Agunbiade, is the DCC Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church, Sanngo Districts Coordinating Council (DCC), Sanngo, Ibadan. He speaks with 'Gbenga Bankole in this exclusive interview CAC NEWS on several issues. EXCERPT !



Tell us briefly about your sojourn in the ministry?


I was born and bred in a Christian family and by the grace of God. I lived with my Uncle who happened to be a CAC Pastor in Kafanchan, Kaduna State. It was there I learnt photography for two years. That was not enough for me then because my anticipation was to go to school. My Uncle tried a lot for me, but later I secured a job in 1971 with Leadway Assurance Company, as a Messenger. I worked there for some time before the Lord led me to go for three years teacher training programme. After the teacher training programme, Leadway Assurance Company said I should come back and that was in 1980. I spent roughly 24 years with Leadway Assurance Company. By God’s grace I headed their Kafanchan branch as Branch Manager for 10 years before I was transferred to Gombe State as Branch Head. It was when I was there the Lord told me enough is enough, that I should resign and that was in 1994. I reluctantly did it and after submitting my resignation letter the company refused to accept it. In that process the issue of pastoral ordination came up. In Kaduna, Gombe and Jos axis I was listed among those who will go for pastoral training and in 1995 I was ordained as a Pastor in CAC. I was posted to Bajuga, about 100 kilometers to Gombe state where I worked as an Assembly Pastor. I was later transferred to Nasarawa, from Nasarawa to Biri and many others. When I was in Biri I was promoted to be District Superintendent in 2006 and in 2007 I was transferred to Gauranga in Abuja. It was in Gauranga that I was promoted to the status of a Zonal Superintendent and later on DCC Superintendent and in 2017 I was transferred to Sanngo DCC in Ibadan, Oyo state.



Who is a church worker?

A church worker is someone who sees him or herself as part and parcel of the work of God which also includes the Ministers of God. Various departmental heads in the church are all workers in the vineyard of God.



What should be the criteria to be a worker in the vineyard of God?

As far as Christ Apostolic Church is concerned, we rely on the Holy Spirit. Apart from being born again, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit. With that you may be able to work successfully and perfectly in the house of God.

What can the church do in a situation where it is discovered that a worker in the house of God is not born again?

What the church should do is to encourage such person to be born again. You don’t need to discourage the person. Where you know there are little lapses try to correct the person. You don’t condemn the person because Christ didn’t condemn anybody. He (Christ) even promised that no one comes to me that He will let go.



How can little crises or misunderstandings that usually happen in the house of God be avoided or resolved?

In a situation where there is crisis in the church, the Holy Spirit must be called upon. Where there is disagreement you find out that there is what is called agreement. In every nonsense there is sense. There is nothing happening that doesn’t have a purpose. God has a purpose for everything that is going on. As human beings we may not know.




Some people believe that instrumentalists should be paid by the church. What is your take on this?

It is like a trouser that has two legs. You may put this side to be wrong and put another side to be right. To me personally, there is nothing bad in encouraging the instrumentalists if there is a need for it. But in a situation where instrumentalists are having it behind their minds that they should be paid for what they are doing, it is wrong. We also passed through this experience before becoming ministers of God and we were not paid, but God paid us more than the monetary payment some are expecting today. However, there is nothing wrong if the church can help or encourage the instrumentalists. I will advise the instrumentalists not to have it in mind that until they are paid they will not work for God. It shouldn’t get to that level. It shouldn’t be the criteria.



Many people have condemned the idea of inviting comedians to anchor church programmes because they crack jokes on the altar. What is your take on this?

I completely disagree with that idea. There are ministers of God who can anchor such programmes successfully and perfectly. The altar is not a hotel. It is a gathering of the children of God which is the body of Christ. It is not biblical to bring comedians to such gatherings to anchor programme.



What is your advice to the new Regional Superintendent of Babalola Region?

I just need to pray for him that the Lord will give him every support he needs to succeed as the second Regional Superintendent of Babalola Region. He has a lot of work to do and with the help of God he will surely succeed.


You are an experienced minister of God. What is your advice to young ministers, particularly those who were ordained late last year by the authority of CAC Worldwide? 

I wish them good luck, but they shouldn’t be in haste. Our God is a God of time like the book of Ecclesiastes says, there is time for everything. Whatever you will become in life, you will surely become. They should be patient and humble. We were not called because of promotion. We are called as ministers of God and you should give glory to God for anything that comes after that. You have to become diligent. It is lack of diligence that makes some ministers to be looking for short-cut or looking for power where there is no power. There is nothing you need in the ministry that cannot be found in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.